Coffee maker



July 4, 1950 sMlTH 2,513,593

COFFEE MAKER Filed Jan. 10, 1946 Patented July 4, 1950 UNI TED PATENT EI CE "2,513,59s Y I g 'QOFFEE MAKER Roland L. Smith, :Belmont, 'Mass, assignor to .Nuproducts Crporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of ,Massachusetts I Application January' IO, 1946, Serial No. 640,181

This invention relatesto cofiee making ma-vsaid vessel without the necessity ofnusing a separate'measuring cup;or:spoon.

Otherobjects and-advantages will appear-as this descriptionproceeds.

My measuring units may be used coffee making machines of; either ,the vacuumor thedrip type. Foreitherutype', my measuring unit consists of a rodhaving a-seriesof longitudinally spaced 1 graduations and an adjustable indicator slidable axially along said rod relative-to said graduations. When'the measuring rod and its indicator are placed in an upright position substantially centrallypf theu'pp'er' vessel of the machine, the graduationsand the positionof the indicator with respect thereto are. visible from any side of the vessel. By adjusting the indicator along the ro'd until opposite a selected graduation, the proper quantity of groundcofiee to be poured: into the vessel tomake thei required number of cups of liquid coffee is accurately shown. HY f In the accompanying drawing qwhereinl have illustrated several practical embodiments 0f my invention: I

Figure 1 shows, in partialevertical section,' an assembly consisting of upper vessel, filter unit, and measuring unit used whenmaking drip coifee. g T

Figures land 3 show, in-detached elevation, alternate forms of measuring units which may be substituted for that shown in Figure 1 when making drip coffee. 7

"Figure 4 shows, in partial :vertical sectior'r: an assembly consisting of upper vessel, filter unit and measuring unit, as used when making vacuum coffee.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the measuring unit shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows, in detached elevation, an alternate form of measuring unit which may be substituted for that shown in Figure 4 when making vacuum coffee.

Figure 7 is a plan view of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a plan view of still another form of measuring unit which may be substituted for either of those shown in Figures 4 or 6 when making "vacuum coffee.

Claims (ores-285) Y :1 have-indicated generally at H! in Figures 1 and 4"an upper infusion vessel of "glass" or other transparent heat-resisting material which is to be telescopically assembled to the conventional lower water-heatingvessel (not shown) of a coileeurnaking machine "and used for making theropen upper en'd of thebowliand preferably of such dimension :as'to bear'at itsupper edge 14 against the inner surface of -'the bowl somewhat belowithe open upper end" thereof.

. -Below shoulder t2 :vesesl I I ll is reduced andex tends as a tubular portion l5 of "substantial length terminating at its lower end in an annular flange: l 6 and provided above "said flan'ge with an externahknobor :similar projection l1. *Below shoulder: I2;,;the=tubular*extension is pressed outwardly torprovi'deian"annular'groove Ill-which,

where=vacuum cofiee is being made,'functions as a seat or retainerfor fa coffee measuringfle v-ice'zisee Figure *4).

Wherethe" conical filter. I 3 is" used, the "closed end of the cone extends well-down into tubular extension 15 "as 'showniin Figure l, and at'its apex provides a centering and supporting seat for'thelower en'd'of my coffee measuring rod l9.

rSuch rod 'maybe variously constructed ac- 1 cordingly as whether drip *or vacuum coffee is to bermade inthemachine. 'The 'forn'is of 'rod shown in *Figures 1, -2 -and I3 I are particularly de-' signed iforiuse i'with tithe." internal type of filter *I 3" shown in Figure 1 for making:'dri 'cofie'e. The

' forms @shown in Figures 4 to 18 fare particularly designed for use with the externaP-type or 20 for making vacuum coffee. 1

Filter 20 consists of a disc of cloth or other suitable material having a rim 2| to be gathered over flange l6 and tightened thereon by means of a drawstring 22, the free end or ends of said string being tied around knob I! (see Figure 4), thus converting the extension l5 into a reservoir for the charge of ground coifee.

All forms of rod l9 are characterized in that each is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced graduations 23 and at least one slidable indicator 24 or 25. The indicator or indicators may be of double bevel form as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, or circular in form, as shown in Fig- 3 ures 3 and 6, or one indicator of each design may be used, as shown in Figure 6.

In the form of rod shown in Figure 6, the uppermost marker 25 will show the height to which the coffee infusion should rise if a proper amount of ground coffee and water has been used, and also serves as a check to show whether or not any water has been lost in boiling, so that more water may be added, if necessary, to

bring the level to the predetermined indicated cal filter and functions with the apex of the cone to center the rod in an upright position.

In the form of rod shown in Figure 2, I may assemble, as by means of screw threads, a conical cup-like member 21 to the lower end of the rod, which likewise assists to center the rod in an upright position. This form of rod may also be used after its use as a cofiee measurer to take cream from the top of a milk bottle.

In-the form of rod shown in Figures 4 and 5, which rod is especially designed for use in making vacuum coffee, the rod between its ends is bent to provide a substantially circular resilient retaining portion 28 to be compressed and placed within the annular groove 18 of vessel Ill and to expand and positively retain the rod in position. Beyond said retaining portion 28, rod l9 extends as an upright handle 29 by means of which the rod may be grasped'and manipulated.

In the'form of rods shown in. Figures 6, 7 and 8, which rods' likewise are especially designed for use in making vacuum coffee, the rods are positioned within the vessel ill by means of a pron'ged resilient'retaining device fixed thereon at distances such' as to seat within groove 18 of vessel l;

In the rod of Figures 6 and 7, such retaining device comprises two diametrically opposite prongs 30' with upturned, inwardly bent ends for frictional contact with the wall of the vessel 10.

Inthe rod of Figure 8; there are three spaced radially extending prongs'S-l;

In both forms, the prongs' possess sufiicient resiliency'to 'enable them to retain the 'rodin the desired position within vessel'lll.

While I have discussed'my invention in connection with a coffee maker, it is obvious that the principles are applicable to other uses where a predetermined quantity of material is to be placed in a holding vessel.

Various other modifications in construction and assembly may be likewise resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to'secure by Letters Patentis: W

1. In a coffee maker, a bowl-shaped vessel of transparent material open at its top and having a tubular portion extending downwardly from its bottom, said bowl adjacent the juncture of said tubular portion with the bottom of the bowl being formed to present an internal annular shoulder, a filter cone seated within said bowl and between its ends bearing against said shoulder and having its apex extendin downwardly into said tubular portion, and a graduated measuring rod disposed in upright position within said cone with its lower end bottomed in the apex of the cone.

2. The structure of claim 1 and an indicator adjustable axially along said rod relative to the graduations thereof.

3. The structure of claim 1 and a disc on and extending transversely of the rod near its lower end for contact against the inner surface of the Wall of the cone to assist in centering the rod in an upright position. s

4. The structure of claim 1 and a conical coffee retaining cup on the rod near its lower end for fitting within the apex of the cone and assisting to center the rod in an upright position.

5. In a coffee maker, a bowl-shaped vessel of transparent material open at its top and having atubular portion extending downwardly from its bottom, a conical filter element disposed within said vessel and constituting a reservoir for a charge of ground coffee, a graduated measuring rod disposed in upright position within said filter element and vessel, an indicator slidable along said rod relative to the graduations thereof, and a member on and extending transversely of the rod near its lower end for contact with the conical filter element to center the rod in an up right position.

I ROLAND L. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record in the file of this, patent:

UNITED ,STATES PATENTS Number v Name Date 225,755 Keene Mar. 2K3, 1880 369,838 Buxton Sept. 13, 1887 529,202 Schramm NOV. 13, 1894 1,366,656 Haver Jan. 25, 1921 1,635,260 Crouse July 12, 1927 1,870,254 Kircher et al Aug. 9, 1932 1,978,079. Bogoslowsky Oct. 23, 1934 2,093,980 Linger -1 Sept. 21,1937 2,151,407 Lobl Mar. 21, 1939 2,285,930 Kahan June 9, 1942 2,359,936 Peterson Oct. 10, 1944 I FOREIGN "PATENTS Number Country Date France Sept. 11, 1884 

